Poll: 75 percent for women in combat

American voters strongly back allowing women to serve in combat roles, a new poll finds.

According to a survey from Quinnipiac University released on Thursday, American voters support women serving in combat 75-22 percent. There was little breakdown along gender lines: Men support that measure 73-24 percent, and women say the same, 77-21 percent. The Pentagon last month decided to allow women to take on combat roles.

There was less robust support, however, for drafting women if an overall military draft were to be reinstated, with 52 percent of those surveyed favoring drafting females, and 42 percent opposing. Forty-eight percent of women opposed a draft that would hit females, while 45 percent supported such a move; men said that women should be drafted under those circumstances, 59-36 percent.

But men also say 36-34 percent that women in combat could enhance military effectiveness, while women say 46-30 percent that that move increases effectiveness, the poll showed.

The poll also found that Americans favor background checks for all gun buyers, 92-7 percent.

The survey of 1,772 registered voters was conducted Jan. 30-Feb. 4 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.